This week, representatives of more than 40 countries as well as international organizations, Jewish communities, academic institutions and civil society gathered in Dubrovnik for the first plenary meeting of the Croatian presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). In a time of rising antisemitism and intolerance around the world, this meeting could not have been more timely.
Croatia is a welcome host to this important gathering. Indeed, in the 12 months leading to their IHRA presidency, Croatia probably did more regarding Holocaust remembrance than in the whole period since its independence. The government adopted all three of IHRA’s working definitions (antisemitism, Holocaust denial and distortion, antigypsyism/anti-Roma discrimination) and they are pursuing implementation on the local level.
Noteworthy is that Croatian Football Association has also adopted the three definitions, which is an important step to reduce the problematic manifestations that we have been witnessing publicly in the stadiums. The same can be said for universities in the country which are adopting these definitions and are engraving this important fight in their academic policies.
As the number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling and ignorance about the tragic events of the Second World War spreads among the youth, Croatia is right to have launched an ambitious plan to focus on future of remembrance and Holocaust denial and distortion. At the same time, domestically, several challenges remain.
One can find today street names or memorial plaques around Croatia bearing the names of individuals who belonged to or supported the murderous Pavelić regime of the Second World War. The notorious salute “Za dom spremni,” which is a Croatian equivalent to German “Sieg Heil,” is still being used in some instances without any legal repercussions. Events are held in the country de facto commemorating the surrender of Ustasha in 1945, a Nazi-collaborator movement that ruled the country during the Second World War, in presence of high government officials. It is shameful to witness the existence of a few active individuals employed in Croatian government institutions and as representatives of the Croatian Catholic Church that are actively and publicly involved in Holocaust distortion, and by this are damaging the positive image of Croatia on international scene. Last, but certainly not least, still much needs to be done when it comes to the return of plundered Jewish communal and private property, where there has been regrettably minimal progress on the ground since Croatia’s endorsement of the Terezin Declaration in 2009.
Some of these developments are not unlike others that we see all over the European continent and beyond. While there are leaders who look towards the future and want to open new horizons for their populations, other forces continue to look towards the past and flirt with the ghosts of dark eras. Resurgence of extremist and neo-Nazi parties, glorification of Nazi collaborators, historical revisionism, legislation to infringe upon academic research regrettably happen in European countries as we speak.
Recently, the World Jewish Congress, released a ground-breaking report documenting much of the disconnect that exists between government policies and the needs and expectations of Jewish communities. While we have seen important moves to the right direction, as more and more countries adopting national strategies to fight antisemitism, they need to be aligned more with the local realities and the requests of the local Jewish population. Otherwise, they lack in efficiency, squander resources and do a disservice not only to their Jewish citizens but also to all those who want to leave in democratic and prosperous societies.
This dialogue is very important and the World Jewish Congress is working with several governments as a facilitator of these discussions, including with Croatia where we have seen new positive attitudes in the country to address some of these long-lingering topics. This new readiness by senior political leaders is a sign of hope and something to be mimicked by other European countries as well.
As the IHRA leaders gathered earlier this week, it is important that they continue to prioritize the fight against antisemitism, with realistic goals and expectations, which will address the actual situation across the European continent and beyond, without avoiding the unpleasant truths and the skeletons in the closets.
Ernest Herzog is Executive Director of Operations and South-East Europe Representative for the World Jewish Congress. Leon Saltiel is Director of Diplomacy and Coordinator on Countering Antisemitism Representative for the World Jewish Congress and a member of the Greek delegation to the IHRA.
